"Hey Tails!" Sonic called as he burst through the room.

Staying in this remote outpost Tails built was a neat way for them both to enjoy coming over here. Tails could work all day at his workshop, and Sonic could kill time just a runnin' about. Of course, Tails' main workshop was at the mystic ruins, but he had a number of places the two could stay. And building them was an easy task for the two tailed fox. As a genius, it seemed he could accomplish anything. Decent housing quarters would be no sweat.

"Hey Sonic!" Tails yelled back. "I think I found something, and I need to tell you about it!"

"Sure buddy!" Sonic called back. Moving toward Tails, who was sitting down at a desk. He saw that the fox had his handheld out again. Several parts were scattered across the counter, and the back of the device was out, leaving the mechanisms inside exposed. Apparently Tails had been tinkering with it again. And Sonic couldn't help but feel that this would have something to do with what happened earlier that day.

"Check this out!" Tails said as he pulled up a chart showing all the different negative chaos power energies in the area.

"Whoa! That's a lot of chaos energy! I wonder if I could tap into it?" Sonic responded. Just then he noticed an evil chao leaning over on it's belly. With a mischievous grin, it too peered over Tails' screen. It looked like he was enjoying it too. But why was a dark chao hanging in here?

"Hey, What's with the dark chao?" Sonic asked as he looked over at it more directly. Seeing Sonic's response, the little creature sat up and started chuckling before breaking out into a random chao song. Tails had an explanation.

"It's easy. He's just part of my experiment!" Tails informed. "In fact, there are a lot of dark chao around here. Cream told me that she noticed them showing in abundance. In fact, I think it has something to do with these strange rings. . . " Tails got up and and fingered through another table. It had several gold rings on it, and one special light blue, which Sonic was all to familiar with. But the most outstanding of them all were the purple ones. Tails picked up a few and let them lay in his hand. Sonic analysed them intently. Seeing the purple energy coming off in a faint, smoke powder like fashion.

"Huh! How about that! I've never seen rings like this before!"

"I have." Tails let known. "But it's been a while. I've seen them in a research center before. A long time ago. These rings are reaaally rare! I didn't think I'd ever see them in Green Hill Zone!" Tails commented as he studied Sonic's reaction.

"Well, looks like they're not so rare now! Look at all those you got on the table there! Wow! How did you find all these?!"

"I dunno Sonic, that's what make's me worried and. . . . hey. . . " Tails peered over at his handheld which was moving up and down a lot. A new bar had appeared identifying a new body. Quickly, Tails walked back over and sat down. With the press of a few buttons, Tails had it identified. With a concerned and surprised look on his face, he looked back on Sonic.

"Sonic! Your negative energy ratings are through the roof!" The genius fox cried. Sonic's eyes popped open, and both his hands came up.

"Me? Negative energy? Are you kidding me? What's up with that?! I don't have any grudges or anything!" He denied.

Tails gaze just looked an him more certainly.

"Are you sure?" He asked confused. "It really does seem like your cause the energy spike here right now. I mean, it identified you as a new body and everything, either that or my machine is making another mistake. . . " Tails said doubtfully. "Did anything weird happen lately. . . or. . . wait!" Tails grabbed a purple ring and held it up for Sonic to see.

"Did you grab any of these?"

"Nope." Sonic answered plainly. "Buuuuuutttt a new robot built by Eggman found me and blasted me with a laser that made me hear a bunch of evil voices right after watching a beserk evil purple eyed motobug go driving off into the sunset." The hedgehog answered all to quickly.

"Uhhhhhhhhhhh. . . ' Tails half shut one of his eyes and scratched his head in confusion. "Sonic. . . . what did you just say?"

He hated it when Sonic did stuff like this, though he was used to it. But at least he could count on Sonic making it understandable- the second time around anyways.

"Oh, nothing much. I just got blasted by a weird laser that made a bunch of voices go off in my head. And now Eggman is up to something odd again. He had the Eggfleet fly overhead to pick up his robot. It sure was tough too. I haven't had that much trouble since Metal Sonic!" He surmised. Thinking back to the olden days.

Tails just shook his head after making a simple smile. "Well." He started. "Looks like that's the reason." He lifted his handheld up to Sonic. Obtaining a clearer scanning. Sure enough, Sonic's quota was off the charts. He was brimming full of negative chaos energy. And it probably wasn't goof for him. Tails himself almost felt the negativity coming off of him. But Sonic was smiling as cocky as ever.

"Huh." Sonic pondered as he looked down. "Guess we better start searching for a way to get rid of it then. I wouldn't wanna end up like another grumpy hedgehog! Got any ideas?"

"Not now, but if the energy is only a temporary build up, it should be gone if you use if up somehow." Tails suggested. "But. . . . I don't think that Eggman would do something like that. . . ." He wondered. "Eggman probably injected you with a source internally, and We've gotta find a way to remove it.

"All right! What do you say we pay Eggman a visit and get to the bottom of this?" Sonic offered. He gave a thumbs up as he did so. Tails had to oblige.

"Yeah!" The orange fox exclaimed. "I was hoping to see Cream in person and check up on Gemerl, but we can do that later. Let's go teach Eggman a lesson!" He agreed. Both friends high fived, and Tails made preparations. Tails liked how Sonic wouldn't ever let things like this bother him. Even the dark events of the Black Aliens never took that cocky smile off his face. Neither Death Egg, nor mechanical copy could make Sonic flinch. He just took things how it came and dealt with it. It was a great attitude, and Tails would remember it in his more lonesome hours. There may come a time when he couldn't always depend on Sonic after all. Who knew when that day might come?


"So!" Eggman beamed as screen in front of him beep busily. "These new abrogation rings are really doing the trick." He smiled as new reports flooded in of successful animal capture.

"Boss. E-200 entropy has come from his mission." Orbot spoke. Eggman turned around in his comfy computer chair. Stroking his mustache only once before addressing his mechanical assistant.

"Gooooooodd!" Eggman said enthusiastically. "I knew Entropy would come through! Much better than I had expected. . . with this new success. . . "

"Um. . . boss. . . wouldn't you want to speak with him first though just to make sure?" Orbot suggested unassuredly.

"Of course not!" He leaned over and rubbed his pointy, pink nose right in Orbot's face. "Why, nothing could go wrong with this plan. E-200 entropy has probably hardly suffered a scratch!" He exclaimed just as the doors opened up and dark, black E-sereis robot walked in through the room. His outer shell was badly beaten, even his left arm seemed bent. But nevertheless, E-200 walked forward. Orbot took a good look at the robot from top to bottom. As his gaze met Eggman's, Orbot wanted to say something. He figured the Dr. had gotten the point. Even so, the question still had to be asked.

*ahem* Dr. Eggman coughed.

"Soooo, E-200 Entropy! What have you gathered. Was your mission a success?" Eggman leaned over with his hands rubbing in one another excitedly. Entropy looked at Eggman and than at Orbot who seemed to subtly shake his head "no" before responding.

"Yes Doctor." he reported robotically.

"Ho ho HO!" Eggman laughed. "See! I told you that he could do it! Now, we're putting my plan to work!" Eggman stood up and raised his hands in the air as if to celebrate.

"With these new inventions, energy rings, and Crisis on my side. Anything is possible. I can't believe that I'll finally be able to build Eggmanland!" He smiled with amazing inquiry.

Orbot just stared at him blatantly.

*blink blink*

"Well." Orobot stated enthusiastically. "I think it's time to contact our affiliate. Shall I call him?"

"Go ahead!" Eggman entrusted, rubbing his hands together more fervently. "I'd like to see what he thinks of our progress at this point."

"Dr." E-200 entropy addressed. "Sonic is still at large. He put up a good fight and will continue to resist our efforts. Now that I have infected him. Me and Inertia could easily defeat him-"

"I don't want hear about it." Eggman commanded. Removing Entropy's suggestion as if it were something meager. "I don't see you building the robots and making the plans around here!" Eggman stated.

"But sir, what about Sonic, we must deal with him-"

"SILENCE!" Eggman roared as he turned around. "Sonic must stay alive at this point in time- in order for out plan to work." The last several words rolled smoothly off his tounge. "If you have all the information, then by my guest as to plot away!" He joked. "But I-made-you, and you better listen to me! I am the Egg-MAN!" He reminded. "I call all the shots and know what's going on. Do you hear me!?" He asked in in a demanding manner. Entropy looked at Orbot for some kind of hint at what he should say. Orbot simply nodded in a simple, pitiful looking fashion so that Entropy got the point.

". . . . Yes Doctor. . . " Entropy let go. It wasn't suiting to him to just let the Dr. reek like that. But he had too. It wasn't like he was wearing the badge of grand admiral or anything. Even Orbot dare not defy his master. . . too much. . .

"Now, where is Crisis? Get me that old flubber footed coot in here now!" The scientist demanded. Just then, and different door opened to Entropy's left. In stepped a large, purple, chaos energy powered echidna much like Chaos, with dark chunks of rock littering his body, and crystal shards protruding here and there. He had four long droughs and had a large, blue center eye piece on his forehead. The chaos energy flowed, and glittered in a smoke like power wherever he went. Even Eggman was struck back a bit when he saw him.

"You called?" The creature growled as if waken from some millennial nap. He didn't like Eggman, nor did he really care for dealing with him, but if this was his opportunity, if this was his master, then he would have to make due with it.

"Well, what are you doing staying in there!?" Eggman mocked. "We have good news from E-200 Entropy! I told you my robots would be able to do the job." Eggman looked at his highly beaten robot, who had suffered from he battle against Sonic, perhaps lucky to escape in one piece.

"Looks weak in comparison to our gizoids." Crisis puked at a lower voice underneath his breath. "So this is the one you send to mark the owner of 'His World.'" He stated most amusedly. "Tell me you are jesting."

"I assure you that E-200 entropy had more success than his armor would tell on it's own. Sonic has been infected with the ancient powers of negative Chaos energy. Now with him out of the way, we can properly test the aborgative ring's power in my machines- in a full scale assault." Eggman moved his hand toward a screen showing Grand Metropolis, from Sonic Heroes. A city known worldwide on the planet of Mobious for it's clean, efficient, and cheap energy that kept the city in such great shape. Hexeco was even becoming a worldwide franchise- in exactly the opposite way any good company should make and an existence from his perspective.

"Hmmm. . . . " Crisis looked upon the screen and seemed to mentally place his crystal rock hands underneath his chin. "Does it offer any tactical advantages to owning it?" he asked almost too quietly for Eggman to hear. The Dr. peered quietly for a moment, and finally made out what his ally had just said.

"A populace?" He offered? "Oh ho ho, we'll have more than enough people to enslave after taking here! And with my animal, energy transfusing, devices, and now capable of containing full sized mobians, we can create infinite energy. Sonic won't even stand a chance!"

"Oh really. . . " Crisis mused carefully. . . . " If that's the case. . . " He though about Grand Metropolis' distance from the coast and Green Hill. "Maybe that would make up for it." His voice nearly sounded groggy. "But this. . . animal. . . energy transfuser. . . . I'd like to see it. . . " He commented.

Eggman started to make a smug grin.

"Funny you should ask. We were just about to test it on or newest insurgent- save her robot companion." Eggman pressed a button opening up two large garage like doors. On the other side, Cream and Gemril were being held down with electro cuffs clamped around their arms and legs.

"Please let me go Mr. Eggman! I don't like being this close to running electricity!" She begged.

"Chao chao!" Cheese agreed from the other side of a capsule. He was placed in a device, much like a ring container, so his voice was suppressed quite heavily, and it's cuteness which usually might effect someone had been considerably toned down. Not that these two cared.

"With my new invention, and using the power of the negative energy rings, I can now subdue other lifeforms. . . . into a sleeplike state-" Eggman demonstrated as Cream was lifted up and placed in between two barrels. Each one connected to glass tubes, filled with rings of gold and purple.

"I. . . I. . . I don't like this!" She screamed as the lasers knocked her to sleep in the head. *pwwaaaaaaaaaaa* they went off and made little stars dance around the girl's head. Her eyelid became unbalance, and shifted between closing and staying open. Then they shut and she acted as though she were dead. Dazed, yes, subjected, of course. But dead? Far from it. Eggman needed her alive for his next project. Which was sure to come anyways. Crisis found the whole process very amusing.

"Yes. . . . " He stuttered slowly. "I. . . I like it. . . " He added as two giant Shockers came down and threw Cream into some kind of electormagnetic bubble.

"Here's the energy readings." Eggman prompted as handed Crisis a chart. Crisis wouldn't take it, but he did look at it. He understood what was going on here. He could see the difference between the larger, mobian and the mini, "animal friends" of Sonic. How much greater Cream's energy output was. "And just wait till we get our hands on someone like Sonic." The doctor added. "Then our energy amounts will be so great, we could do things that even the chaos emeralds are capable of."

"Indeed. . ." Crisis complimented almost. . .. impressed by the Dr.'s ambitions. "Most delicious indeed. . . . ."